Combination hydraulic tubing lift and tubing head



June 13, 1933. D. R. KNOWLTON ET AL 8 COMBINATION HYDRAULIC TUBING LIFT AND TUBING HEAD Filed May 2', 1932 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 we. my

Gnome g J1me 1933- D. R. KNOWLTON IE! m. ,913,

COMBINATION HYDRAULIC TUBI NG LIFT AND TUBING HEAD Filed May 2, 1932 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented June 13, 1933 :UNITEDSTATES PATENT OFFICE DONALD R. KNOWLTON AND WILBUR J. CRITES, OF BAREEVILLE, OKLAHOMA, ASSIGNORS TO PHILLIPS PETROLEUM. COMPANY, OF IBARTLE SVILLE, OKLAHOMA,

A CORPORATION COMBINATION HYDRAULIC TUBING LIFT AND TUBING HEAD Application filed May 2,

This invention relates to improvements in a combination hydraulic tubing lift and tubing head especially adapted for the remote control of valves positioned within a well, although the device may be employed wherever it is desired to shift a well tube vertically without breaking the continuity of the fiow from thetubing to the flow line at the top of the well.

The improved device is particularly applicable for the operation of an adjustable bottom hole bean of the type disclosed in our Patent No. 1,905,592, dated April 25, 1933.

One of the objects of the invention is to I 16 provide a suitable and effective means for accurately and positively adjusting the rate of flow through said adjustable bottom hole bean by causing vertical movement of the.

' at 15, to a wedge slip or dog 16. The air tubing or other valve actuating element.

Another object is to furnish novel means for controlling the flow of fluid within the well from a point at the well head.

A further object is to supply suitable and effective means for externally operating tubing slips which are under internal pressure conditions, without affecting such internal pressure conditions. 7

A still further object is to provide devices of this character, especially adaptable to deep high pressure wells in which excessive weights are to be handled, and in which the abrasive effect of the flow is abnormal.

With the foregoing objects outlined and with other objects in view which will appear as the description proceeds, the invention consists in the novel features hereinafter 'described in detail, illustrated in the accompanying drawings, and more particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

In the drawings,

Fig. 1 is a side elevation partly in vertical se tion and partly broken away, of our imp oved apparatus.

tion of the same partly in elevation, and illustrating the manner-in which the moveigieent of the tubing adjusts the bottom hole Figs. 3 and 4 are horizontal sectional views Fig. 2 is a vertical. sectional view of a por- 1932. Serial No. 808,830.

taken respectively on the lines 3-3 and 4-4 of Fig. 1.

Re erring to the drawings, 5 desi ates the well casing, to the upper end of w ich is secured, by any suitable means such as screw threads 6, a casing head 7. A special base 8 is supported by the head and is detachably secured to the latter by any preferred means, such as bolts 9. This base has a boss 10 forming a bearing for a rotatable shaft 11 which extends through the boss and has an operating handle 12 at its outer end. As best shown in Fig. 4, the inner end of the shaft, which is subjected to the internal pressure within the casing (owing to ports 13 in the head), carries a plurality of arms 14. Each of these arms is rigidly connected to the shaft and is pivotally connected at its outer end, as shown of dogs, as is usual, has internal teeth 1 to grip the well tubing 18, and'the casing head has atapered port 19 which cooperates with the sl1ps 16 to cause them to tightly grip the tubmg when the wei ht of the latter pulls the tubing downwarlfly. A plate 20, carrying a packing gland 21 for the tubin forms an imperforate closure for" the top 0 the base 8. a At this point it will be noted that the base 8 p and its cover 20 form a closed housing, the in-' terior of which is subjected to the internal pressure within the casing .5, and the slip assembly is such that the device may be used in any environment where it is desired to control the slips from the exterior of the well while the slips are subjected to the internal pressure of the latter. In other words, the structure so far described may be used with or without any special means for lifting the tubing 18.

' As before mentioned, however, our improved mechanism has been especially devised for operating a bottom hole bean. The. bottom hole bean disclosed in our prior appli cation Serial No. 589,952, is partially illus- 95.

trated in- Fig. 2. There it will be noted that the part 22 is anchored in the casing in any suitable way, and it is rigidly united with a stationary valve head 23. A sleeve'24, se-

cured to the lower end of the tubing, can be raised and lowered with the latter, relatively to the head 23, to control the flow between said head and the interior of the sleeve 24.

For the purpose of readily obtaining this adjustment, we, in the present inventlon, secure the upper end of the main portion of the tubing, as shown at 25, to a piston 26 which reciprocates within a cylinder 27. The lower end of the cylinder is preferably rigidly and detachably connected to the upper end of the base 8 and the plate 20, by means of bolts 28, while the upper end of the cylinder is preferablyswaged and contracted to form asleeve 29. A tubing section 30 has its upper end slidable in the sleeve to form a telescopic joint 31, and the lower end of such tubing section is rigidly and detachably connected to the piston, as shown at 32.

A combined flow head with adjustable flow bean 33 is detachably secured to the upper end of the sleeve 29, and th1s device is preferably of the type shown in the Donald R. Knowlton Patent 1,831,713, dated November 10, 1931. The flow line 34 leads from the device 33 to the usual oil and gas separator, not shown.

We preferably employ a hydraulic fluid for actuating the piston 26. This liquld 1s stored in a tank- 35 having an outlet pipe 36 provided With a control valve 37. Any suitable liquid forcing device such as a hand pump 38, is interposed in the pipe 36 for forclng the liquid from the tank to a p1pe 39 that leads into-the cylinder 27 below the piston 26. A return conduit 40 for the liquid connects the pipe 39 to the tank and is provided with a control valve 41.

Tank 35 has a volumetric capacity per inch length equal to the volumetric displacement of piston 26 per inch travel, and a gauge glas 42 on the tank indicates the liquid level 1n the latter. A fixed scale 43, arranged alongside the gauge glass, indicates this llqllld level in inches and fractions thereof.

A gauge 44 is connected to pipe 39 to indicate the tension condition of the hydraulic fluid in cylinder 26, and for the purpose of testing for leaks, as well as performing the regular functions of a pressure gauge.

0 pemtz'on To raise tubing 18 or other valve actuating mechanism, hydraulic liquid is pumped from tank 35 with pump 38 through pipes 36 and 39 into the cylinder 27, and acts to raise the piston 26 and the parts which it supports. The amount that the tubing is lifted is indicated in the gauge glass 42 and read on scale 43. As soon as the tubing is lifted a predetermined amount, the crank shaft 11 is turned to lift the slips 16 so that the tubing can slide freely through the same. Then, when the tubing has been lifted the desired amount, the pumping is halted, and the slips are returned to initial position to clamp the tubing and hold it in that position.

In order to lower the tubing, the pump 38 is first actuated to lift the piston slightly, and then the crank handle is turned to disengage the slips. Then the Valve 41 is opened, and as the weight of the tubing causes the piston to descend, the liquid will be forced back into the tank through 39 and 40. Of course, when the tubing has lowered sufliciently, thecrank 12 is turned to again bring the slips 16 into clamping engagement with the tubing.

If it is desired to directly indicate movements of the piston at the point where the cylinder 27 is located, a gauge rod 45 can be mounted on the piston and slide through a packing gland 46 in the head portion of the cylinder. This rod will cooperate with an upstanding scale 47 fixed to the cylinder.

From the foregoing it will be understood that we have provided novel means for lifting or lowering a well tubing without breaking the continuity of the flow from the tubing string to the flow line 34, and we have also provided novel means subjected to the internal pressure of. the well for holding the tubing in various positions without affecting such internal pressure.

While we have disclosed what we now consider to be preferred embodiments of the invention in such manner that the same may be readily understood b those skilled in the art, we are aware that changes may be made in the details disclosed, without departing from the spirit of the invention, as expressed in the claims.

What is claimed and desired to be secured by Letters Patent is:

1. In well equipment, the combination with a well tubing string having adjustable beans at the upper and lower ends thereof, a telescopic joint interposed in said string" for permitting the main portion of the string to be adjusted without breaking the continuity of flow through the string, of hydraulically actuated means for adjusting the main'portion of the tubing string relatively to the other portion of said string, said main portion of the tubing string controlling the bean at the lower end of the tubing string.

2. In a well, a casing, a cylinder rigidly mounted on the upper end of the casing, a stationary tubing portion projecting upwardly from the cylinder, a flow line rigidly connected to said stationary tubing portion, an adjustable bottom hole bean arranged in the casing, a movable tubing portion operatively connected to the bean for adjusting the latter, said movable tubing portion extending upwardly through said cylinder, a telescopic joint connecting the movable portion of the tubing to the stationary portion of the tubing, a piston fixed to the movable portion of the tubing and arranged in said cylinder, and

manually controlled means for introducing liquid into the cylinder beneath the iston and for discharging liquid from said cy inder.

'3. In a well, a casing, a cylinder rigidly mounted on the upper end of the casing, a stationary tubing portion extending upwardly from the cylinder, a flow line aving its inlet end rigidly connected to said stationary tubing portion, an adjustable bottom hole bean arranged in the casing, a movable tubing portion operatively connected to the bean for adjusting the latter, said movable tubin portion extending upwardly throu sai cylinder, a telescopic joint connecting the movable portion of the tubing to the stationary portion of the tubing, a piston fixed to the movable rtion of the tubing and arran (1 in sai cylinder, and means for introducing l i uid into the cylinder beneath the piston an for discharging liquid from the cylinder. In testimony whereof, we hereto afix our signatures.

DONALD R. KNOWLTON. WILBUR J. CRITES. 

